Board sports such as surfing, windsurfing, snow boarding, skateboarding, wake boarding, and others require the use of advanced balancing skills in an unstable and dynamic environment. Additional skills also must be mastered. For surfing, these skills include the ability to quickly move from a prone position (on one's stomach) to a standing position, the ability to step to an appropriate position on the board to speed up or slow down, the ability to adjust the body to perform proper turning technique and the ability to perform advanced maneuvers, such as cross-stepping and drop-knee turns. It can be difficult to practice these skills in the customary environment for the sport, such as surfing in the water, because the opportunities to practice are limited. In addition, the customary environment may not allow the needed movements and balancing to be repeatedly practiced.
Simulators have been developed that use external forces generated by mechanical devices, such as motors, pumps, springs and the like to move and tilt a surfboard-like standing platform. In reality, the movement of a surfboard is mostly controlled by changing the vertical and horizontal position and foot pressure of the surfer. These simulators tend to generate board motions independent of the rider's foot positions, pressures, and vertical position of the center of the gravity and, thus, do not effectively help the users' ability to control and manipulate the surfboard.
Balancing devices, such as the Indo Board™ which has a flat board surface with a separate cylindrical drum beneath the board, have also been designed or developed to help practice balancing skills. However, these devices are limited in their movement and do not accurately reflect the stepping, cross-stepping, and turning techniques that are useful in an actual surfing ride.
The devices discussed above tend to require a hard surface in order to be used and may even require electricity. This can make them impractical for use at beaches, where most surf school classes are conducted.
Thus, there is a need for an improved training device for board sports. It is toward this end that the present invention is directed.